COVID 19 Update June 5th

Posted by Jeremy Milonas on 6/5/2020

Dear Colleagues, Students, and Families,

Please review the following update:

#1. Keep it up BUCs! We are very proud of everyone for all their efforts during this difficult time. Make sure you finish strong by completing all your assignments and submitting your work. We are committed to your success and will not let you enroll in new courses until you have finished your work for this academic year.

#2. Thanks to all those students and staff who participated in the discussion on race, equality, and justice hosted by Mr. Clark on Thursday. Many perspectives and insights were shared and it was a great session. We will continue this conversation and also continue to share ideas on how we can improve our school and society.

#3. Three important events are planned for seniors next week: Caps and Gowns will be distributed on Tuesday, June 9 after 2:30 PM and our senior awards program will be shared remotely on June 10. Most important is our Senior Day/Photo Day on Friday June 12. Information was sent to all senior families earlier this week and has also been posted on our website. Seniors also need to complete their post high school survey in Naviance. Clarification: The link for the virtual graduation will be released on June 17. No events are planned for June 18.

#4. The NJ DOE is requesting that all parents complete a survey by June 8 on efforts to plan for the reopening of schools. Here is the survey link: https://es.surveymonkey.com/r/V8HZ2MQ. If you have any questions, please contact the Department’s Office of Civic and Social Engagement at civicandsocial@doe.nj.gov<mailto:civicandsocial@doe.nj.gov>.

Additional Updates

Supporting RBR Families: In addition to its regular programs, The Source at RBR is channelling other vital support to RBR families, including rental assistance. You can donate to the COVID-19 Relief Fund by visiting The Source’s newwebsite and following us on social media.

Congratulations to Coach Brendan McGoldrick for completing the challenge of running 4 miles/every 4 hours/for 48 hours! So far he has raised over $8,500 for The Source's CoVid 19 Relief Efforts. If you wish to donate with a pledge, please go towww.rbrhs.org/thesource.

These local charities are assisting families who have been negatively impacted by the crisis. Please reach out if you need support and also consider making a donation if you can. Please note that grab and go meals continue to be available at Red Bank Middle School.

COVID 19 Update May 29th

Posted by Dr. Louis Moore on 5/29/2020

Dear Colleagues, Students, and Families,

We want to start with an update on graduation plans. As promised, Gov. Murphy and the NJ Department of Education released new guidelines for conducting graduation ceremonies, including modified in-person programs after July 6. Unfortunately even with these new guidelines, an in-person program remains impractical for RBR. As the situation evolves, we hope to schedule an in-person program for later in July if new guidelines make this possible.

In light of this, it makes sense to continue with our previously announced plan to develop a virtual ceremony in which all our graduates will be represented. The program will feature important aspects of our traditional ceremony, including music and student speeches. We will also record the program for all families.

As we gear up for commencement, please be aware of these upcoming dates:

Friday, June 5: The second summative assignment for Seniorsis due.

Monday, June 8, and Tuesday, June 9: Last check-in for Seniorsin good academic standing.

Tuesday, June 9: Graduation gowns will be delivered to each senior. (Details will be sent next week.)

Friday, June 12: Seniors and two guests will be scheduled to come to RBR in their caps and gowns for their graduation photograph. This photo will also be incorporated into our virtual commencement program. A detailed schedule will be sent to families next week with specific times for each graduate to arrive at the high school but please save the date!

Other senior reminders:

Yearbooks: Yearbooks will be delivered to RBR in early June. A distribution plan will be shared with seniors.

Senior Awards: The program will be presented on-line on June 10.

Senior Celebration: If allowed, we are also planning to hold a senior picnic or barbecue later this summer. If this is not possible, an alternative event will be planned for the fall.

Supporting RBR Families: In addition to its regular programs, The Source at RBR is channelling other vital support to RBR families, including rental assistance. You can donate to the COVID-19 Relief Fund by visiting The Source’s newwebsite and following us on social media.

Coach Brendan McGoldrick is one day away from taking on the charity challenge of running 4 miles/every 4 hours/for 48 hours! So far he has raised over $2,600 for The Source's CoVid 19 Relief Efforts. If you wish to donate with a pledge, please go towww.rbrhs.org/thesource.

These local charities are assisting families who have been negatively impacted by the crisis. Please reach out if you need support and also consider making a donation if you can. Please note that grab and go meals continue to be available at Red Bank Middle School.

Finishing Strong: Keep it up everyone! We are very proud of the maturity and dedication of all our students. Remember that the last lap is as important as the first one, as Mr. McGoldrick knows. Stay safe and strong everyone!

COVID 19 Update May 22nd

Posted by Dr. Louis Moore on 5/22/2020

May 22, 2020

Dear Colleagues, Students, and Families,

The start of Memorial Day Weekend reminds us that summer is coming and the school year will be coming to a close soon. We are very proud of everyone for their efforts under these challenging circumstances. Keep it up Bucs and continue to apply yourself and finish the year strong! Please review these important dates to help you stay on track:

Next week, the mandatory check-in days will be shifted to reflect the Memorial Day weekend. Tuesday, May 26 will be an A-day, and Wednesday, May 27 will be a B-day. Wednesday office hours will be canceled for the week. Thursday and Friday will have their normal office hours.

Tuesday, May 26: Interim reports for MP 4 will be released to parents. Please contact your child’s guidance counselor if you have questions or concerns.

Friday, May 29: Deadline for students to hand in late work assigned up to May 22.

Friday, June 5: The second summative assignment for Seniors is due. (This will allow time for the leadership team to review final grades of seniors to determine the student's status for graduation.)

Monday, June 8, and Tuesday, June 9: Last check-in for Seniors in good academic standing.

Friday, June 12: Deadline for students to hand in late work assigned from May 26 - June 12.The second summative assignment for underclassmen is due.

Monday June 15 and Tuesday, June 16: Last virtual check-in for underclassmen in good academic standing.

Thursday, June 18: Commencement for the Class of 2020.

Senior Class Updates

Thanks again to everyone who participated in the sign and blanket distribution project last week. A big hurray for the Buc Backers for all they did to make this happen!

Senior Montage: Thanks to everyone for submitting your photos and to Mr. Grillo for pulling it all together. You can access the montage with this link or find it on our website. Everyone looks great!

Yearbooks: Yearbooks will be delivered to RBR in early June. A distribution plan is being developed and will be shared with seniors.

Graduation: Governor Murphy stated today that revised guidelines will be shared early next week and we will adjust our program to comply with these directives. Thank you for your patience and understanding. We will send our updated plans as soon as possible.

Senior Awards: The program will be presented on-line on June 10. Recipients will receive notice of their award and directions to access the presentation starting next week.

Early Dismissal: The second summative assignment for seniors is due on Friday, June 5. The final check-in for senior students in good academic standing will be on Tuesday, June 9. .

Senior Celebration: If allowed, we are also planning to hold a senior picnic or barbecue in this summer. We continue to monitor guidelines and inform everyone as soon as possible.

Supporting RBR Families: In addition to its regular programs, The Source at RBR is channeling other vital support to RBR families, including rental assistance. An RBR family recently suffered a terrible loss due to the crisis Please consider donating to the Source/RBR Families Fund. You can also find the link under the Source tab on our website. Please see our website announcing a new initiative to assist families.

These local charities are assisting families who have been negatively impacted by the crisis. Please reach out if you need support and also consider making a donation if you can. Please note that grab and go meals continue to be available ONLY at Red Bank Middle School.

Finishing Strong: Keep it up everyone! We are very proud of the maturity and dedication of all our students. Remember that the last lap is as important as the first one. If anyone is having trouble with their academics, reach out since we are here to help you. Go Bucs!

Freshman/Sophomore Community Tutoring: Community tutoring program is available on-line on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6-7 PM. To access, go to Google Classroom and type in the code: zcxjlcu On Google Classroom you will see four separate Google meetings, one for each core subject (Math, English, Science, and History.) Students can click on the Google Meet for the subject area they need help in. They can also toggle between meets if they need assistance in more than one subject area.

Board of Education Meetings: Thanks to all members of our community who attended our remote BOE meeting on May 20. Our next meeting will also be on-line on June 17 at 7:30.

COVID 19 Update May 15th

Most of this week’s update addresses issues related to our Senior class but we wanted to share it with everyone because we are all thinking of our soon-to-be graduates at this time of year.

Although in-person events are restricted, we are determined to make our Senior celebrations memorable for the class of 2020. Today over 60 RBR staff-members and parents distributed lawn signs and blankets to all of our rising graduates. Every town was covered, from Union Beach to Belmar to Millstone as well as Little Silver, Red Bank, and Shrewsbury! Thanks again to everyone who helped to make this possible, especially Corinne Thygeson, Jessica Borriello, Ciara Kelly, Mr. O’Shea, Mr. Melone, and Mr. Donohoe for all their contributions.

We continue to explore options and ideas about graduation, yearbook distribution, and an alternative event for the prom and the senior picnic.

Regardless of what is put in place, we know that virtual plans are not a substitute for the loss of our traditional senior programs and we want you to know we share in your disappointment. That said, we wanted to update everyone on our current plans.

Graduation: Final arrangements will be shared as soon as the NJ DOE and NJ State Police finalize their guidelines. At present, we are envisioning two ceremonies. The first will be held on June 18, 2020, as scheduled, and will be a virtual ceremony in which all our graduates will be represented. The program will include important aspects of our traditional ceremony, including music and student speeches. We will also record the program for all families. We also hope to schedule a second in-person program for late July. Planning and scheduling will not be possible until we receive further directives and guidelines from Governor Murphy.

Yearbooks: Yearbooks will be delivered to RBR in early June. A distribution plan is being developed and will be shared with seniors.

Senior Awards: The program will be presented on-line on June 10. Recipients will receive notice of their award and directions to access the program soon.

Early Dismissal: The last day for senior students in good academic standing (those who have enough credits to graduate) will be on Friday, June 12. The last week will be reserved for students to submit assignments or extra work if not in good academic standing.

Senior Montage: Thanks to everyone for submitting your photos. Mr. Grillo has been hard at work putting the montage together. Be on the lookout for the final product on Wednesday, May 20.

Senior Celebration: If allowed, we are also planning to hold a senior picnic or barbecue in August. If this is not possible, an alternative event will be planned for the fall.

We know the current crisis has hit our seniors and their families especially hard. We also know that we will come together and provide the Class of 2020 with a proper send-off. All the best everyone and stay safe,

Sincerely,

John Garofalo, President, Red Bank Regional Board of Education

Louis Moore, Superintendent

Julius Clark, Principal

Additional Updates

Supporting RBR Families: In addition to its regular programs, The Source at RBR is channelling other vital support to RBR families, including rental assistance. An RBR family recently suffered a terrible loss due to the crisis Please consider donating to the Source/RBR Families Fund. You can also find the link under the Source tab on our website.

These local charities are assisting families who have been negatively impacted by the crisis. Please reach out if you need support and also consider making a donation if you can. Please note that grab and go meals continue to be available at Red Bank Middle and Primary School.

VPA Fundraiser: Ready for some jazz and classical music? Relax with us on Friday evening, May 15 at 7:00 pm to the sounds of the Red Bank Regional High School Visual and Performing Arts Program. These talented young musicians will treat you to a variety of performances all to benefit our neighbors in need. Featuring students from grades 10 to 12 on piano, violin, flute and other instruments, the hour-long program offers a soothing evening amidst all the uncertainty. To view the show or donate, please go to the Red Bank Regional High School website. special purpose line. Thank you for your support!

Finishing Strong: Keep it up everyone! We are very proud of the maturity and dedication of all our students. Remember that the last lap is as important as the first one. If anyone is having trouble with their academics, reach out since we are here to help you. Go Bucs!

Freshman/Sophomore Community Tutoring: Community tutoring program is available on-line on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6-7 PM. To access, go to Google Classroom and type in the code: zcxjlcu On Google Classroom you will see four separate Google meetings, one for each core subject (Math, English, Science and History.) Students can click on the Google Meet for the subject area they need help in. They can also toggle between meets if they need assistance in more than one subject area.

Board of Education Meetings: Thanks to all members of our community who attended our remote BOE meeting on May 6. Our next meeting will also be on-line on May 20 at 7:30.

COVID 19 Update May 8th

Posted by Dr. Louis Moore on 5/8/2020

May 8, 2020

Dear Colleagues, Families, and Students,

We closed out Teacher Appreciation Week with a staff meeting and a RBR-themed trivia contest led by Mr. Clark. Winners received special prizes and all staff received a gift to express our gratitude. Thanks to all families, students, and the Buc Backers for supporting our outstanding teachers!

We are very proud of our wonderful students who have responded to a challenging and unprecedented crisis with great courage and maturity. As we enter the closing weeks of school, we want to urge everyone to keep their spirits up and to keep up with their school work. Finish the year strong everyone and keep reading and don’t forget to get some fresh air.

Planning for senior celebrations: Thanks to Corinne Thygeson, Jessica Borriello, Ciara Kelly, Mr. O’Shea, Mr. Melone, and Mr. Donohoe for all their contributions. We also had a great meeting with the senior class council and appreciate their input. All seniors and their families are advised to be on the look-out Friday for an important delivery to kick-off graduation season. More details will be released on Monday so stay tuned.

Fundraiser for LunchBreak: Students in our VPA program have organized a “virtual” concert at 7 PM on Friday, May 15 to raise funds for LunchBreak, a local charity providing food, clothing, and other resources to assist families. Thanks to Ms. Boyle, Chris Hall, and Catherine Creed for their efforts to pull this together. The program flyer is posted on the RBR website.

STS Fundraiser: STS (Student to Student), our peer leadership program, is sponsoring a t-shirt fundraiser to help support those who are helping others during this unprecedented time in our lives. Here's your opportunity to make a difference! We have decided to join forces with a fundraising effort already up and running through Sneakers Plus. Profits will be donated to the Lunch Break. Please see the RBR website for details. Please pass this along to others who may want to order and help out! -Mrs. Kanuga and Mrs. Todd, STS Advisers

Board of Education Meetings: Thanks to all members of our community who attended our remote BOE meeting on May 6. Our budget for the 2020-21 academic year was approved and the presentation has been posted on our website under the “Board of Ed” tab.

COVID 19 Update May 5th

Posted by Dr. Louis Moore on 5/4/2020

May 5, 2020

Dear Colleagues, Families, and Students,

Yesterday Gov. Murphy announced that New Jersey schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year. While we would have all liked to return for the rest of the year, the health and safety of our community mandates the continued closure. As we have done since March 10, we will continue to respond to the challenges posed by the emergency with courage, compassion, and clear thinking.

While all of us are impacted, the news hits our seniors and their families especially hard. We will continue planning to celebrate graduation and other milestones that honor this exceptional class. The school administration will be meeting with class advisors and student representatives this week to hear their perspective and I will be sending an update soon.

On behalf of the Board of Education, the school administration, and the entire staff, we share in your disappointment but we are also confident that we will emerge from the challenge stronger than ever. Stay strong and safe everyone.

COVID 19 Update May 1st

Posted by Dr. Louis Moore on 5/1/2020

Dear Colleagues, Families, and Students,

As we complete our eighth week of remote instruction, we want to salute the efforts of the entire RBR family and all that’s been done to respond to the crisis over the previous weeks. Next week is teacher appreciation week and this is an appropriate time to extend special thanks to our teachers who have continued to go “beyond the call” in responding to an unprecedented set of challenges.

With the structured meeting times on Mondays and Tuesdays, students and teachers are benefiting from increased opportunities for interaction. In addition to these changes, you should be aware of these features of the revised online instructional program:

Assignment due dates for each subject have been established and no assignments are due on Mondays.

Students are encouraged to utilize “office hours” on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for extra help and support.

Students are required to check-in during the required meeting times on Monday and Tuesday. Please do not be late.

Scheduling for 2020-21: Information on the scheduling process for next year’s freshmen has been sent out and is also available on our website under the school counseling tab. At this time, current students should have submitted all their course requests.

Senior Celebrations: Regardless of whether or not we re-open this spring, we will find ways to salute our graduates and we will be sharing updates next week. In the meantime, please see the message below from Buc Backers.

Calling All Senior Buc Parents!

Your senior has worked so hard and it is now almost time for him/her to enter into the next chapter of their life! Mr. Grillo from the RBR VPA will be putting together a picture montage featuring one picture of each senior that will highlight this. The picture should be representative of next steps, best memoryat RRB, or anything else that is important to him or her! If you have already submitted a photo and would like to change based on these expanded guidelines- no problem!

Please submit your photo by May 8th including full name to RBRSENIORPICS@GMAIL.COM. The format should be JPEG. Please also use the landscape format. Let's make this unusual year end as special as it should be for our seniors!

In addition, lawn signs for senior families will be arriving soon to kick-off the graduation season. Please contact Jessica Borriello at 732-921-6323 for further information and if you would like to volunteer with the distribution effort.

Supporting RBR Families: These local charities are assisting families who have been negatively impacted by the crisis. Please reach out if you need support and also consider making a donation if you can. Please note that grab and go meals continue to be available at Red Bank Middle and Primary School.

STS Fundraiser: STS (Student to Student), our peer leadership program, is sponsoring a t-shirt fundraiser to help support those who are helping others during this unprecedented time in our lives. Here's your opportunity to make a difference! We have decided to join forces with a fundraising effort already up and running through Sneakers Plus. There are several different designs of high quality t-shirts which demonstrate our universal support and unity for those who are on the front lines and are suffering. Please check out the stores https://www.spcustomonline.com/team/quaranteens and https://www.spcustomonline.com/team/bucstrong to see the t-shirt designs and order your own! We will be donating our profits to Lunch Break in Red Bank, a local charity providing food, clothing, and other financial resources and assistance to our community especially during this pandemic. Upon check out, you will have the option of which charity you would like to donate to, Lunch Break will be one of the options. We appreciate your help! Stay safe and healthy! Please pass this along to others who may want to order and help out! -Mrs. Kanuga and Mrs. Todd, STS Advisers

Board of Education Meetings On-line: We are moving toward a secure remote system to ensure all members of our community can attend and participate. Our next meeting is scheduled for May 6 and will include the Public Budget Hearing. Details will be posted on our website next week.

COVID 19 Update April 24th

Posted by Dr. Louis Moore on 4/24/2020

Dear Colleagues, Families, and Students,

Welcome to the final marking period of our academic year! Continue to do your best to keep up with your work and make it a strong finish. Please note that Governor Murphy has extended his school closure directive to May 15. By that date, we will be advised on whether we need to continue the closure.

Here are a some updates:

Marking Period 3 Grades: The Genesis Portal is open and grades have been posted. In this unprecedented situation, the following guidelines apply to MP 3: 65% is the minimum grade all students can receive and work assigned during the remote learning portion of the marking period will only be factored in if it produces a higher final grade.

Scheduling for 2020-21: At this time, current students should have submitted all their course requests. Please reach out to your guidance counselor next week if you have not done so. Information on the scheduling process for next year’s freshmen will be sent out next week.

Modifications to Virtual School Plan for Marking Period 4: All students must be completing the required check-in on Mondays (A-Day Classes) and Tuesdays (B-Day Classes) for the Marking Period 4. Students who neglect to do so may be subject to academic consequences, including loss of credit for classes missed and you may receive a check-in from local police. Everyone should review the more detailed explanation of the virtual school plan that is posted on the RBR website.

Senior Celebrations: Lawn signs for senior families will be arriving soon to kick-off graduation season. Please contact Jessica Borriello at 732-921-6323 for further information. Regardless of whether or not we re-open this spring, we will find a way to salute our graduates. Mr. Clark, Mr. Donohoe, and I will be reaching out to students soon to discuss options and gather ideas; we’ve already had some good discussions with advisors and parents. We appreciate those of you who have shared ideas already.

Supporting RBR Families: These local charities are assisting families who have been negatively impacted by the crisis. Please reach out if you need support and also consider making a donation if you can. Please note that grab and go meals continue to be available at Red Bank Middle and Primary School.

COVID 19 Update April 9th

Posted by Dr. Louis Moore on 4/9/2020

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Dear Colleagues, Families, and Students,

At the start of spring break, this is an appropriate time to give heartfelt thanks to everyone for all they have done to sustain our school program and for the many acts of courage and compassion that have defined our community’s response to the current crisis. The administrative team continues to meet every day to respond to challenges and ensure continuity in our instructional program. Teachers, support staff, case managers and counselors have worked heroically to continue instruction and assist students and families. The tech department has labored tirelessly to ensure all our students and staff have reliable access to the tools they need. RBR maintenance and administrative assistants have done a tremendous job under challenging circumstances to keep the building and essential services operating. Finally, thanks to our students and families for keeping up with their school work and demonstrating maturity and tenacity under difficult circumstances.

Please review these important updates:

School Closure Directive: Earlier this week, Governor Murphy extended the emergency directives currently in place until May 7 and will be updating the school closure directive on April 17. We will share relevant information as soon as possible.

Marking Period 3 Grades: The shift to remote learning was stressful for everyone. In this unprecedented situation, the following guidelines have been put in place for MP 3: 65% is the minimum grade all students can receive and work assigned during the remote learning portion of the marking period will only be factored if it produces a higher final grade.

Modifications to Virtual School Plan for Marking Period 4: Beginning on Monday, April 20, after we return from break, important changes have been made to improve remote learning. The most important modification is a required check-in on Mondays for A-Day classes and Tuesdays for B-Day classes. Everyone should review the more detailed explanation posted on the RBR website.

Supporting RBR Families: These local charities are assisting families who have been negatively impacted by the crisis. Please reach out if you need support and also consider making a donation if you can. Please note that grab and go meals will continue to be available next week during our recess. See the website for details.

SAT Administration: A reminder that because of the spring cancelations by the College Board, our current juniors will be sitting for the SAT in October of their senior year. The specific date has not been determined yet but it will be administered during the school day as we had planned to do on April 28. Details about changes to AP test administration have been posted to the RBR website.

AP and IB Classes: Both the College Board and International Baccalaureate have established pathways to ensure that students participating in these programs can potentially earn college credit. IB families should have received an update this week. AP has canceled the in-school tests, however, students will take a shortened 45-minute assessment on-line. Details about changes to AP test administration have been posted to the RBR website.

On behalf of the RBR Board of Education, faculty and staff, please accept our best wishes for a blessed Passover and Easter and a restful break. Stay safe everyone.